Experiences with in-mast furling

[bitbaltic]

Trying to reef with the mainsail against the spreaders/shrouds is a thankless task

Not on my boat. Stay on point of sail, haul in (enough to be off the standing rigging) and drop it against the jacks. Honestly!

Mostly btw a family boat with jacks is not going to sail with enough twist in light airs (ie a typically used YM or PBO boat) to get the sail on the standing rigging and it’s a moment to haul it off even if it does.

ETA I guess if you’re gonna say that hauling the boom up for the 30 secs or so it takes to drop the main means the boat is not genuinely going downwind but is coming up then you’ve got me, but that’s hardly the point.

 

[ashtead]

Clearly the issues encountered by one HR owner of an over 40 ft version (a 43 I think) might not be indicative of a wider problem but early this year we saw one removing its smart newish mainsail as it had some form of failure in the internal gearing which seemed to need them to involve mast removal and rebuild in CI . I don't know how common an issue this is but clearly an unwelcome expense even if the hassle of sail removal was in safety of the St Cast marina as opposed to on route.

 

[rotrax]

I am a frequent visitor to the iphomeport-the Island Packet owners website and forum.

Considering that nearly all IP's from the last 15 years have factory fitted in mast mainsails there is remarkably little detrimental comment about them.

A few issues, for sure, but not significant in the number of posts on the iphomeport.

Most with problems appear to have been with set up. Topping lifts, halyard tension, wrong size furling line and so on.

Our own set up, with four vertical battens, has been a little troublsome this season. I fitted a fourth batten, which was missing when we got her. With all the battens in, sometimes the last bit of sail wont quite go in. I will try a couple of thinner battens next year.

I certainly would not change back for our leisurely style of cruising.

 

[snooks]

That was exactly my point :0)

You have to do something (sheet in) in order to make reefing easier. Like wise if you know what you should be doing with in-mast reefing, it will be easier.

But try reefing a slab reefing main without sheeting it in off the spreaders/shrouds and it’s a lot of effort.

 

[BRIAN BLACK]

Hi there, you mentioned Scoresbysund - a frequent destination for me but not since 2016. Just wondering what the sea-ice conditions were like ?

Regards

Brian Black

 

[rotrax]

Hi there, you mentioned Scoresbysund - a frequent destination for me but not since 2016. Just wondering what the sea-ice conditions were like ?

Regards

Brian Black

Welcome Brian-from the chat we had over a cup of coffee on your boat in Ardglass four years ago I recall you were a high lattitude sailor. We were on Jess, our Island Packet 350.

I have your wifes book on board our current boat.

Very possible that we might spend a month in Strangford with our current boat when First Mate has recovered from her hip replacement.

As a long distance cruiser, do you have experience of in-mast mainsails?

 

[Falcon01]

Never used in mast furling or even witnessed it in action but readily admit to having somewhat of a prejudice against it. However, it seems to be de rigueur on most new boats over a certain size, to the extent that re-sale could be an issue if you didn't opt for it when buying a new boat! I bet SIBS will be full of in mast furling.

As I see it the pro's are:-

* Easier to deploy and stowe a big mainsail when shorthanded
* Less windage once stowed
* Can set the exact amount of rqd sail area

I envisage the con's are:-

* Sail shape / set never looks as good, unless you buy v expensive cloth with vertical battens and even then I doubt it's as easy to trim a nice shape
* Can jam
* Not as kind to the sail when stowed, Vs flaked over a boom
* Increased weight aloft
* Precludes having a tapered mast section
* Can't bend rig as much to flatten sail (am guessing that may be the case anyway)

Would be interested in views from those who have USED in-mast furling. Have I missed something?

Having read the thread about jammed in mast furling, I am setting that aside for now and just theoretically considering the pro's and con's of the set up, with the presumption it works reliably.

Hi,
I have electric/hydraulicc in mast on my 48’. Sail not new. Sail solo most of the time. So far, no jams, no problems. Boat goes well, easy to reef even when sailing, mast bends and boat responds well, and is easy to reef and balance with Genoa. Very quick to get out and put away. also has a “normal’ sail for racing. Previous owner said only marginal performance difference for racing. If you have crew then probably more benefits with fully battened sail. F not then a good inmast system with a sail that fits and a bit of care taken when rolling it up seems to me to be the way to go. Most sail makers these days are making sails with roach specifically for inmast.

 

[bitbaltic]

That was exactly my point :0)

You have to do something (sheet in) in order to make reefing easier. Like wise if you know what you should be doing with in-mast reefing, it will be easier.

But try reefing a slab reefing main without sheeting it in off the spreaders/shrouds and it’s a lot of effort.

But nobody does that so it’s a silly point.

Doesn’t preclude reefing downwind.

Your definition of sailing downwind is having the sail against the spreaders and shrouds, full stop. Doubt anybody here sails downwind like that unless maybe racing.

Most boats probably sail downwind a bit inefficiently as a result, but few coastal cruising skippers want the sail against the standing rigging for long, if ever.

 

[Lucky Duck]

My mainsail has patches on it so the sail isn't damaged by being pressed against the spreaders...

 

[bitbaltic]

My mainsail has patches on it so the sail isn't damaged by being pressed against the spreaders...

Sure but if coastal cruising, how often do you do it?

The patches are there in the first place because of the known issue of wear and tear on the sail if sailing like that.

Going blue water or something I get it. But most coastal cruisers change point of sail frequently, don’t pay for patches to guard against wear and retard windward performance through weight and thickness aloft, and don’t generally sail with their main against the spreaders for long if at all. In my experience.

It’s probably also worth noting that sail material will have a bearing on that. Suspect cheaper materials might benefit from an abrasion resistant patch, as would very high-spec laminates, say.

 

[NormanS]

One quite big advantage that I have found with in mast furling, and which I don't think anyone has mentioned, is that the sail doesn't have to be hoisted every time it's in use. I'm not a blue water long distance sailor, instead doing coastal cruising in sometimes relatively challenging waters, in short hops. In fact I often say, jokingly, that we only sail between meals, and we often anchor two or three times in a day. I don't think I could face having to hoist the mainsail several times a day.

Our boat is a ketch, with in mast for the main, and conventionally hoisted mizzen with lazy jacks and stackpack, so I have direct and current experience with both systems.

I have to say that, even with its much smaller area, the mizzen is much more work than the main. Yes, there are times when a third hand would be useful to apply a little tension on the outhaul when furling with the endless line. This is often solved by hooking the outhaul over a convenient cleat on the mizzen.

As far as this mid 70s couple are concerned, we would never contemplate going back to a "conventional" system.